The Challenger
by AshesonFire
Summary: Malfoy is challenged by a new comer to Hogwarts. It seems very few people actually know who she is Malfoy is one of those few, but one wants to kill her. Will Malfoy be able to save her and themselves before it's too late? You be the judge.
1. Introductions

Chapter 1: Introductions

Lacy sat on the inside the last compartment on a train bound for Hogwarts. It was her first year there, but she was in her sixth year, and she was a Slytherin; to her, the best house in the entire school. She didn't know anyone here, so she didn't have friends, but she didn't care because there were more important things than friends. Lacy looked out of the window and saw the bricks of the tunnel start to move. She heard footsteps outside the compartment down the isles. Lacy sighed and took out a book and started reading, she was normally up for a good read, but she wasn't in the mood to read today. She felt someone outside her compartment staring in at her, but she didn't know who he was. She stood up and locked the compartment door in his face, but he pulled out his wand and unlocked the door with a simple spell. Lacy sat down and opened her book while the stranger slipped in the door.

"Who do you think you are, trying to lock me out? Do you have any idea who I am?" He had slicked back blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He was cocky and confident . . . almost American. She didn't like him one bit, so she ignored him and went on reading her book.

"I'll have you know that I am Draco Malfoy! Answer me!" He shouted at her. Lacy looked up at him, and replied. "You are a Malfoy?" He looked at her like she finally understood who he really was. "Just a Malfoy? Well then there is no threat there, now is there? I want to read, so if you don't mind, go away." Malfoy looked at her.

"What do you mean _just a Malfoy?_ My family is one of the most respected pure blood wizarding families. And what are you? Nothing, half-and-half or a Mudblood my bet." He said these words with as much malice as he could manage, but still Lacy was nonplused.

"When I said that you were just a Malfoy, it meant that you are so cocky and arrogant I would have expected someone of the highest position, but you are only a Malfoy, which is nothing to be impressed by. I am no half-and-half or a Mudblood, but a pure blood. And since you are a Malfoy, we really should not be talking. It would kill my father if he knew I was associating with someone as low as a Malfoy." Lacy said it devoid of emotion, because he was not worthy of her emotions. She pointed at the door behind him, and he looked at it, but did not move.

"I am not going any where. If you think you are above me, who are you?" Malfoy was sizing up his competition. He sat down opposite of her on the seat. Lacy stared at him like she could not believe that he was actually defying her, she liked that.

"I am Larissa Kilnern, daughter of Peter Kilnern." She said it as if it was as plain as day. Malfoy looked at her with fear in his eyes, he wasn't very good at hiding his emotions. "Now, leave." Malfoy quickly got up and headed for the door. He turned around and stared at her, but Lacy glared at him and he quickly left.

_Finally! He is gone. Took him awhile, and I had to give him my real name to make him go. I don't like him very much, but we'll have to get along eventually because we'll be in the same house. Oh boy, he'll get real cocky then. I shouldn't have told him my real name, just curse him and make him leave. But, I didn't do that, I told him who I was. He probably didn't know who I am anyway, and if he does, then so what? What harm can he do to me? Nothing, because after all he is only a Malfoy._

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Author's Note: I am trying out this style of writing and this type of story. I just wanted to, seeing the third Harry Potter movie inspired me. Any suggestions what to do are welcomed as well as comments. Keep Burning. Ash


	2. Letters

Chapter 2: Letters

Malfoy couldn't believe that she was a Kilnern. As soon as he had left her compartment he went to the one Crabbe and Goyle were in, and just to his luck Pansy Parkinson was in there too waiting for him to come in. He looked inside before actually going in, and when he finally did, Pansy latched her fat arm onto his tiny one and dragged him to sit down beside her. Malfoy shoved her off of him, and she pouted. He didn't even look at her, but quickly reached inside his robes for a letter his father had written him. He opened it and began to unfold it, when Pansy shrieked and looked over his shoulder at the parchment willing it open, but Malfoy looked at her and said, "This is private." Pansy looked like she didn't hear him, so he said, "Did you hear me? Private, in your terms go away." Pansy wailed and pouted, but stood up and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

"Finally, she's gone. Honestly, I don't know why you are with her, Goyle, if she only latches onto me like a leech. Shouldn't she have you for that?" Malfoy unfolded the letter, and began to read it.

_Dear Draco,_

_I am writing to tell you that someone of very high power will be joining you at Hogwarts this year. She will most undoubtably be in Slytherin, and in your year. But beware of her, for she has great power and knowledge. She'll think that she is above you, but you must not let her think so. Become her friend and use her to your advantages, and make a connection with her. I am already trying to forge one with her father, but it is very hard. He thinks he is above me, so it is a little harder than I anticipated. I have no idea where he got the idea that they were better than us, it must have been that country air. They live in Ireland, and up to this year his daughter has been schooled by private tutors. Her father has some business in another country, so he cannot take care of his daughter and is sending her for the school term. I do not know how long she will be there, so use the time you have with her wisely. Her name is Larissa Kilnern, and she will be helpful to our contribution._

_ Sincerely, your father, Lucius._

Draco looked up from the parchment. He'd already read the letter a few times, he hadn't known who she was before, but he'd heard his father late at night speaking to his colleagues of the Kilnerns and how much of a threat they could be to their cause. Draco looked over at Crabbe and Goyle, who were stuffing their face with food from the trolley. Did they ever stop eating? At least he wouldn't have to talk to them for awhile. He should go and bug Potter and the Weasel and his girlfriend, but he didn't want to be disturbed. So, he rolled out another piece of parchment and began to write a letter to his father asking why this girl was so important. He knew that if his father hadn't have told him in his first letter, he wasn't going to explain it to him in the next one, but he wasn't worried about that. His father would be busy with organizing some events and wouldn't have time for him for a few months. Draco sat back on the seat and looked at some pictures his mother had sent him of his family. He sighed, he didn't know his family very well because according to his father knowing one's family was not what was important but knowing the lineage and heritage was. Besides, his father didn't like his mother's side of the family and it was an excuse not to see him. Malfoy stared out the window, watching the landscape unfold in front of him. He was glad to be returning to Hogwarts.


	3. Pesky Pests

Chapter 3: Pesky Pests

Lacy sat on the seat of the carriage that was taking her to her new home and prison. It loomed before her like a deep hole devoid of life. She knew that Hogwarts was supposed to be one of the best wizarding schools in England, but she couldn't help but feel that something was going to happen. She hadn't wanted to leave her home in Ireland, but she had to and now she was here in the god-forsaken place with strangers and many dark secrets.

The carriage stopped at the steps and Lacy got out behind some other people who had jumped in behind her. They'd asked her questions, but she didn't answer them and they thought her a snob and yet she didn't care. Lacy walked up the front steps, looking at her black robes as she descended up. She walked into a magnificent hall with four huge tables lined up beside each other and one stationed in front of them. Everything was sparkling and gleaming._ Too bright to be normal._ Lacy thought. Lacy looked around at the students and saw maroon and gold clad people settling down at one table, yellow and black at another, blue and gold at the third table, and green and silver at the last one. Lacy knew the four houses were Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, but she only knew that Slytherin wore green and silver, which is what she was wearing. She saw the Malfoy kid standing at one end of the table, so Lacy sat down at the end of the table far away from anyone, and opened her book. The sorting ceremony was about to begin.

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Draco watched Lacy scan the hall, she must've realized she sits over here with her own kind. She looked over in Draco's direction for a minute and sat at the end of the table away from everyone, probably with the hope that no one would bother her, but that didn't happen. Many males kept going over to her and trying to put the charm on her and make her look at him, but she would turn away from them, and most of them took that as a sign to leave, but a few persisted to sit beside her and she told them something and they walked away and she went on reading her book. Finally when anyone came over to her she would just wave them away. Draco guessed that she didn't want to be bothered and he wanted to get on her good side. He saw Professor Snape, who was the Potions Master and head of Slytherin house, and rushed up to him.

"Sir? I was wondering...we have a new student here in Slytherin, as I am sure you know, and I was wondering if I could..." Draco stammered out, but before he could finish his sentence Professor Snape finished it for him.

"If you could escort her and show her around? Yes, yes I have had many requests just this evening about her, and I have told everyone so far no, but seeing as how it is you I will consent. I will tell her when we get back to the common room. Now go sit down, the sorting will start soon.

Draco walked back to his seat with a hop in his step, so to speak. He returned to his seat and began chatting about his summer to Crabbe and Goyle, his two best friends, and Goyle's girlfriend Pansy Parkinson who acted like she liked him more than her boyfriend. Draco kept talking until the current headmaster Professor Dumbledore stood up to announce the sorting and a line of timid first years followed a regal looking Professor McGonagall who was head of Gryffindor and taught Transfiguration. Draco thought she was a pest, a fair pest, but a pest none the less. She was a Gryffindor, and all Gryffindors were scum...especially Harry Potter. He had embarrassed him in front of his father so many times, that he'd lost count. _Well not any more, Potter._ He thought angrily to himself. He hadn't heard the names of the people being sorted, but he clapped like he was supposed to for anyone who joined Slytherin. He looked over at Lacy to see what she was up to, and she was still reading her book. _It can't be that interesting. I mean, It's just a book._ Thought Draco._ Well no matter, after the feast, when we're in our common room I'll be able to show you around for the next week or two. We'll see how much reading you'll get done then._


	4. Mind Games

Chapter 4: Mind Games

Lacy watched the sorting lazily devoid of emotion, because mainly she was half absorbed into her book flipping the pages and making the illusion that she was reading when she wasn't. She had sensed more than saw many people turning discretely to look at her, but she ignored them. When the sorting had ended and all the new first years were seated in their proper houses, Dumbleore stood up to speak. Lacy knew he would say something, anything, of importance, but she had a throbbing headache and put her head down on the table. The cool wood on her hot surface soothed her aching head instantly. Lacy heard flutter around her, but she didn't move, she couldn't move. She was paralyzed, but in a good way; she was too weak to move even if she'd wanted to, which she didn't.

She smelled food around her, but wasn't hungry. Someone had accidentally bumped into her and mumbled, "Sorry." before scurrying away, which made Lacy groan and sit up with great effort. Lacy shook her head and saw a flicker of something buzzing around in the vicinity of the end of the table out of the corner of her eye. She looked that way, but only saw many people stuffing their faces with food and drink. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples with the pads of her fingers.

She heard a high pitched tinkling laugh from somewhere above her, and Lacy lifted her head upwards and opened her eyes with a cry that was barely audible. But, not to her surprise, no one was there. Lacy lowered her head down and looked at her empty plate before her, and suddenly she felt the desire to eat. She grabbed a piece of bread and nibbled on it while helping herself to some of the leftovers. Lacy didn't eat much, because most people were finishing and she didn't want to hold them up. The food cleared and many desserts appeared along the tables, but Lacy's desire to eat was gone and once again she put her head down on the table. Lacy felt an icy wind blow in her ear and a shiver run down her spine. She squirmed in her seat, thinking it was still a part of her imagination and that nothing was happening to her. The icy gust blew in her ear again, and Lacy's arm reached out and collided with a hard surface. Her arm froze in place and she lifted up her head and looked at her arm and followed it to whoever she'd hit. It was Malfoy.

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Draco had been watching her all night, while she battled with some unknown force. She'd been looking around her like she was hallucinating, and he just couldn't resist blowing in her ear and tempting her. He watched her expression change from scared to confusion to anger as her eyes locked onto his. He smiled at her, and she looked pissed off yet relieved in a way. He stood up and offered his hand out to her, but she just looked at it and didn't move.

"The feast is over, time to go back to our common rooms. Come on, I'll show you." Draco said as smoothly as he could. Lacy blinked and shook her head, but quickly got to her feet. She didn't look quite as composed and refined as she did on the train. There she'd been able to maintain her feelings, but now he could read them all over her. She was shaking and jittery, like she was expecting someone to strike her down right where she stood.

"Don't worry, most of the people have already left, but if you're still worried I know a secret way to the common room. Not many people know about it, it's my favorite spot. Come on.." Draco took her hand in his, and he felt her soft, smooth hard warm in his. Draco brought her to a standing position, she looked miserable. Her eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them that he hadn't noticed before and she was very limp; she looked like a rag doll. Draco put his arm around her waist and guided her out the hallway, but was stopped by a heavy voice booming out to him.

"Where do you think you are taking Miss. Kilnern? You leave her here with me, and return to your common room. I'll bring her back there later. What are you still doing here? Go!" It was Professor Snape, telling him to leave but he didn't want to. He wanted to stay there with her or take her with him, but he couldn't disobey Professor Snape, so he handed Lacy over to him without a sound and walked back to the common room alone, without Larissa.

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Author's Note: It might be a little confusing, but Lacy knows Draco as Malfoy and Draco knows Lacy as Larissa. It's a simple way of understanding the characters, not everyone would pick up on that. Some people might have gotten confused, and I didn't want them to, so there. Burn. Ash


	5. The Common Room

Chapter 5: The Common Room

Lacy barely recognized who she was, she never acted like she needed to be taken care of or feeble. She hadn't acted like this before on the train, or before she had eaten. _That's it! Someone must have poisoned my food...but how?_

Lacy was sitting on a chair in a cold, dark dungeon, somewhere beneath the school she guessed. An older man was sitting at the desk near her, but he didn't look up to see her. Lacy looked at his desk, and there was a sign that read: _Professor S. Snape._ Lacy moved, and it caught the attention of the man.

"Ah, you are awake, good. I am Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house and Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I will be here for any of your concerns. Now I have arranged for a guide to show you around the school for the next few weeks, and if he is unhelpful then we can find another one to show you around. Do you understand?" His voice was deep and low, and almost lulled Lacy back to sleep, if it weren't for the rapidity of his words.

"Uhh...sure. Wait..him? Who him?" Lacy asked quizzically. _Not him, not him._ Professor Snape opened his mouth to speak. "Draco Malfoy." _Not him–oh my god..HIM!_

"Is this suitable for you? I know you've already met him, so that might be helpful." Professor Snape looked at her strangely, so Lacy just nodded. "Yeah..yeah, sure. It's ..uhh..fine. I think..." She was very scattered._ What is wrong with me? I can't even put together a coherent sentence. _

"Right..."Said Professor Snape. "Let me take you back to the common room. Are you sure you are feeling alright?" Lacy stood up and waved her hands, "I am fine, it's nothing. Just feeling weak..I miss my home." Snape nodded, but didn't turn back to look at her. He lead the way out of the dungeon, and through some winding hallways. They came to a stop in front of a bare, damp stone wall. Lacy had no idea why they had stopped in front of it, because it seemed different. Maybe it was the fact that every square inch around it on the other spaces of the walls, water was dripping down, but not there.

"Veritaserum." Snape said in his cold, dark voice. A stone door hidden inside the wall opened, and Snape looked to Lacy.

"Veritaserum...truth serum?" Asked Lacy. Snape looked at her with a glint in his eye. "So, you know your potions..or your Latin in the least. We'll see what you make of it. After you." Lacy looked at the door way uncertainly, but walked through none-the-less.

The Slytherin common room was what she expected: long and low room with rough stone walls, with green lamps were hanging down from the ceiling by chains. At the far end of the room was a colossal carved mantlepiece with several green high backed chairs and many green lounges with silver pillows scattered across them. Whenever Lacy and Professor Snape walked in several people looked over and stared. Malfoy was sitting lazily on a chair off to the side of the room with two other boys and a girl. The girl looked from Malfoy to Lacy, and back again. Malfoy was of course staring at Lacy, and the girl didn't seem to like it too much, so she started pulling on his shirt to make him look at her, but he pushed her away and mouthed something that was probably similar to "Go away." She looked hurt and slouched back into her chair.

"Ah, there's Malfoy. Good thing he's here. Ah, Malfoy, I know you've already met Ms. Kilnern, which is good because you will be escorting her for the next few weeks. I trust her company to you, that would be all so I'll.."

"Professor?" asked the girl with a smug look on her face.

"What you silly girl?" he shot back at her. She looked annoyed, but it didn't stop her.

"This _new _girl will need some female guidance, perhaps _I_ could be the one to escort her around."

"No, I said Malfoy would do it, but your point is arguable. I'll tell you what you can both do it, whenever Ms. Kilnern needs female help you may give it, but otherwise Malfoy is her quide, is that understood, Ms. Parkinson?" He looked at her from down his nose. The girl looked hurt, but nodded her head. Professor Snape nodded his head and left without another word. Lacy stood there with Malfoy looking at her with pleasure on his face, and the girl with jealously. Suddenly she stood up rather quickly.

"Come on Goyle, let's go somewhere else." shrieked the girl, and one of the boys looked towards Malfoy.

"Yes, go Goyle, you too, Crabbe. I would like some alone time with Ms. Kilnern." Malfoy said it like there was nothing else better in the world. "Please, sit." Lacy didn't want to obey him, and make him even more cocky than he already was, but she was feeling faint again, so she did. She knew he was going to have that look in his eyes when she sat down, but she didn't care so she sat down anyway.

As she sat down, she saw a few pictures in her head that she wasn't seeing. "Ow!" she exclaimed.

"What? What are you talking about, nothing happened." Malfoy looked shocked and weary. "Nothing, I just. AH! Ow..ow..that...hurts.." She said it as she slid out of the chair. The last thing she saw was Malfoy's face peering over hers with confusion.

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Author's Note: Not much of a cliffie, but whatever. Hope you like it.


	6. Questions in the Hospital Wing

Chapter 6: Questions in the Hospital Wing

"–I entrusted her to you, Malfoy, and look what happened? I was gone not five minutes, and I have to be called back because she fainted. You are lucky you are one of my favorite students, I will give you another chance to escort her, since this doesn't seem to be your fault. Madame Pomfrey said that she'd be okay, but I want you to remain here until she wakes up. Good? Goodnight." Snape was speaking very fast, Malfoy had come to realize that he spoke fast when he was angry. Snape marched out of the room, and Malfoy stood there with a strange far-away look on his face. He turned a little and sat down in a chair beside Vyk's bed.

"Oh...you're awake. I hadn't noticed, but are you alright? I don't quite know what happened..." He'd lost his train of thought as soon as her big blue eyes looked into his. They were a strange blue with some green in them, but they were rimmed in heavy black eyeliner. She smiled and a few lines wrinkled at the corners of her eyes. She had a heart shaped face that was pale and freckled. She has thin lips that were a deep shape of red. His eyes traveled to her hair, it was brown but with a red tint, and hung is big twisted ringlets beside her face._ She is so beautiful._

"What?" she asked. He'd been staring for a while and she'd started getting suspicious. Malfoy shook his head, but continued to look at her. She looked at him, he knew what he looked like. Blonde hair, pale skin, blue eyes, lips, nose, he was what he always was, except now he was sixteen, older, and certain feelings had erupted within him over night in the last few years.

"I was just wondering if I could call you Larissa instead of Ms. Kilnern." Malfoy managed through a croaking voice. It made her laugh and smile.

"Sure you can call me Larissa, but my friends call my Lacy." she teased. She smiled at him again, he hadn't understood her joke. She looked away. "Where are we?"

"In the hospital wing. Pansy went and told Snape you'd fainted." Malfoy was looking at the bed.

"Pansy? Who is Pansy?" She asked. "Pansy? You met her, she was sitting by me when you came in." Malfoy replied.

"Oh the one who was latched onto you the whole time? Or the one who wanted to escort me, so you couldn't? Because they both seemed a little skanky to me." She looked back over to him, and he was once again looking back at her.

"Yeah, her. I think she wanted to get me into trouble about "not taking care of you" of something like that..and I kinda did." Malfoy looked down at his hands in his lap.

"I'm sorry, how is it your fault? You couldn't do anything." Lacy tapped him on the head and made him look up at her.

"I have no idea, he supposes I should have asked if you were feeling okay and stuff. I don't complain to him, or I'd get detention." Malfoy looked back down at his hands.

"Oh. Okay. Well..can we go, or do I have to stay here?" Asked Lacy looking around.

"I guess we can go..sure..why not? Let's go." Malfoy stood up, and offered his hand to help her out of the bed. They didn't say anything on the way back to the common room, and when they finally reached it no one was in the common room.

"What time is it?" asked Lacy aloud. "I dunno..late I suppose. Well your dormitory is that way," he pointed to a door. "I can't go in there with you, because boys aren't allowed in the girls section. But I think it's door number 6..okay...so..Night." Malfoy started stammering at the end.

"Night," said Lacy as she reached the door. She opened it up and turned back around to say, "Oh, and Malfoy?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I didn't faint." She said it and smiled and walked inside the door and closed it with a snap.


	7. Cold Shoulders

Chapter 7: Cold Shoulders

Lacy walked to the sixth door and opened it, inside were four four-poster beds in green and silver. The lights were still on and all of the girls were still awake. The drapes were pulled back and on it were Pansy and two other girls. All three of them were wearing their night clothes and sitting up talking. They stopped talking when Lacy entered the room. Pansy was sitting on the bed with her arms folded and a smug sneer on her face.

"So, you're back are you? You didn't fall and hit your head on the way down, did you? Because, you know it would be such a terrible loss." Pansy looked like she was very pleased, so Lacy guessed that she wanted to get a rise out of her and she did nothing. Lacy smiled and asked politely, "Which bed is mine?"

One of the other girls who looked like she was skin and bones, lifted up a bony hand and pointed to the farthest away bed. Vyk nodded and walked over to it, and looked it over. There was a trunk at the foot of the bed, so Lacy opened it up and started rummaging through it looking for her things. She got out some clothes and her toothbrush and laid them on the bed.

"Where can I brush my teeth?" Lacy asked the room. The other girl pointed to a door and held up one finger. "The first door? Okay." Lacy walked out of the room and into the first one, it was the bathroom. She brushed her teeth quickly and walked back to the room, it was in the same state as she left it; no one had moved. _Uhh..okay. That's not creepy at all._ Thought Lacy. She walked back to her bed and took off her robes. She looked behind her, they were watching her.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch me undress?" she asked with a little edge in her voice. Suddenly the two other girls walked to their beds and turned off the lights, by now only Pansy hadn't moved. Lacy sighed and took off her shirt and skirt, underneath was her undershirt and a pair of shorts. She pulled on a pair of pants over the shorts, and tied her hair back into a loose bun. She turned back around, and Pansy was still there looking at her. Lacy climbed into bed and smiled at Pansy as she turned off the lights.

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"Lay off it, I don't wanna talk about it!" Draco shouted at his cronies. As soon as he'd walked in the door, they'd been on his case about her and what happened. Blaise wasn't making it any easier, he was fully content with thinking that they'd faked the whole "Fainting" thing just so they could get out from the eyes of any adults or other students. Draco turned off all the lights and got into bed with the covers over his head, the others took it as a hint to shut up. They'd bug him more in the morning, they'd probably bug him for a long time about it.

Draco slipped off into a deep slumber where dreams came easily to him. He was walking in a dark lush forest at night, along a path of floating lights. He followed the lights to a little cottage. He knocked on the door, but no one answered, so he walked inside.

"Hello?" he called over and over. He walked around the cottage's kitchen and avoided the pots and pans. He saw a door on the opposite side of the house, it had light spilling out from underneath it. He crossed the floor quickly and put his hand on the door knob and his ear to the door, but he didn't hear a sound. He turned the knob slowly in his hands and eased the door open. Inside there were many little candles lit all centered around a bed. The bed was green and had silver sheets hanging over it so you couldn't see who was inside them. Draco put one foot in front of the other to soften the sounds of his boots as he walked to the bed. He reached out his hands and parted the silver sheet. He put one knee on the bed, and then the other so he was kneeling on the bed, and the person on the bed shifted a little in their sleep. Draco didn't know why he felt so magnetized by the person sleeping soundly, but he was and let the sheets fall limp behind him. He poised his hands in front of his and felt over the bed searching for a limb attached to a body. His hand found a foot, and he traveled his hand up the calf to the thigh to the stomach and stop. Whenever his hand touched her stomach, it took an a lot of air. He used his other hand to find an arm that was twisted up in the blankets. Draco was crouched over the body he was sure to be a females, because it was too soft and feminine to belong to a man. Draco's eyes traveled from the stomach to her chest that was covered by the blankets, and up to the neck, and finally to the face. He knew that face, it was her face; It was Lacy's face.

Draco stared at Lacy's sleeping form for a long time. He lifted his hand to her face and pushed the hair out of the way. She signed and turned over, revealing her naked shoulder for him to gaze upon. He touched her shoulder with the tips of his fingers and she rolled over and pushed her blanket away, onto her stomach and his hand was left hovering over her chest. She was wearing a loose-fitting tank top, that had come up to show her belly button. Draco's face was inches away from it, and he just couldn't resist from trailing his fingertips along the line her stomach made. He felt her push upward with her back, and he stopped; lingering on her hip bone. Draco smiled and kissed the crest of her head. Her eyes opened up slowly and looked at him. She smiled lazily at him and stretched her arms over her head, and making her shirt go up even higher. She brought her arms down around his neck and lifted her head up to his to kiss him.

Suddenly Draco shot up in his bed sputtering. _It was a dream. All a dream._


	8. Rage Aginst the Machine

Chapter 8: Rage against the Machine

Dreams of Lacy plagued Draco every night for weeks. Some were repetitive, others weren't, but they all had her sleeping and him watching her. They hadn't really had any time to speak much in the last few weeks because of studies, and his prefect duties and quidditch practices. They'd said "Hello" whenever they saw each other, but nothing much more than that. It was the first Hogsmeade trip this weekend, the day after the Halloween Feast. Draco was in the mood for a feast and the trip to get his mind off of Lacy and school.

Pansy was becoming ever more persistent, and Draco had most of his classes with Potty and the Weasel and the Mudblood, but Draco also had those classes with Lacy. He'd noticed that most of the Slytherins didn't like Lacy, the girls were jealous and the boys angry that she'd denied them access to her. She didn't speak to anyone much, and she seemed fine with that. Pansy seemed very jealous whenever she saw Lacy smile at him or wave or even acknowledge him. Draco couldn't wait until tomorrow night for the Halloween Feast.

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Lacy had been having dreams about Draco ever since her first night. Sometimes they would be walking together hand-in-hand along a sandy beach, or flying on the same broom. Lacy couldn't understand why she was having these dreams. She was supposed to be the cold-hearted bitch her father raised her to be, but Lacy supposed that not being underneath her father's ever-watchful eyes had softened her up. She still never really talked to anyone, she had no need to. She was fully content being by herself, until her thoughts started turning to Draco. She couldn't like him, he was a Malfoy, but what did that mean? She'd learned everything from her father, she trusted him, accepted everything he'd told her without question, and did his every command without hesitation. She realized that she was more like his lackey than a daughter. _Father's don't treat their children like this._

She'd never really had a childhood. He was in on the dark lord's plans, and after he fell, her mother said they'd retire to the country. No one suspected them as being in with You-Know-Who, and they'd stayed out of the public eye. Then her mother died, without reason, and her father changed. He seemed like he had no reason to live, so he started to study more and more. He'd push himself beyond the borders that he'd wake up days later not knowing who he was. He sent Lacy on little missions around the house, and torn up her dolls and anything feminine, and replaced it with spell books and dark magic. Lacy had been thrown into a position that she couldn't refuse. Her father taught her how to not show emotion, to block out everyone else out, to not have feelings, to be a drone. Not brainless, just very unattached. He had her dog murdered in front of her as a test to see if she could hide her emotion, and the first time she bawled like a child. The second time a single tear slid down her cheek, but the third time she had no emotion. Her training was complete, so to say.

Lacy paced the lake shore, she had several stones in her hand. She threw them furiously at the lake, instead of skipping them like she had first started to do. She screamed a long held scream that was aimed at her father out of her lungs and into the water. Lacy was still angry and seething, but there was nothing she could do. She was just waiting for a chance to yell at the next person that bothered her, no matter who it was. She stomped the grounds to the common room and slammed the door behind her so loud that everyone looked up at her. But, with one glance at her, and they all looked away with fear. Lacy stormed up to her room and slammed that door behind her too. Pansy was in there._ Good, she'll no doubt say some stupid smart ass thing just to piss me off further._ And sure enough, she was right, because the next thing that came out of Pansy's mouth was not welcomed to Lacy's mood.

"Oh, look. It's little Ms. I'm-too-good-for-anyone. Wonder what she's going to do now." Pansy hadn't been ready for it, nobody had been ready for it. Lacy just walked up to her and punched her in the nose. In one hit, she heard a definite crack and knew she'd broken the bone. Blood poured from Pansy's face and spilled onto the carpet, and Pansy's screams filled the rooms. Lacy looked over her and said, "What did you say Pansy? I couldn't quite hear you over all this loud screaming!"

"You bitch! You broke my nose! How dare you! AHHH!" By now several girls were in the room and grabbing Pansy and dragging her away to the hospital wing. Lacy sat on her bed, the remaining girls were staring at her like she was a freak. Lacy didn't care, but she wanted to be alone, so she rounded on them.

"WHAT?! What the hell are you people staring at? Do you want me to punch you too?" Lacy put as much edge into it as possible, and they all backed off and left. Lacy laid down on her bed and exhaled heavily. Not more than ten minutes had passed, and Professor Snape was at the door.

"Ms. Kilnern, we need to talk." Lacy sat up and followed him out of the girl's dormitories and out into the common room where everyone looked at her wearily. One glare at a first year sent her whimpering and all the eyes, except Draco's, vanished. Lacy looked at him, but she was still so angry that she couldn't look at him. She followed Professor Snape down to the dungeons where he lead her to his office. He motioned for her to sit down in a hard-backed chair.

"Am I to believe that you punched Ms. Parkinson in the nose?" He looked at her dead on. Lacy stared back. "Yeah I did." Snape continued to look at her, but didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"Are you aware that she now has a broken nose and it has to be mended by Madame Pomfrey?" Lacy smiled and nodded.

"So, is this a game to you? I will be writing to your father about this, he will know what you did. We have a no fighting policy here. I don't like it when my students fight. You'll have a weeks worth of detentions, if not more."

"No! I am fine with the detentions, make it all year if you have to, but don't tell my father. I beg you, don't." Lacy's eyes were wide rimmed and pleading with him, but he wouldn't budge.

"No, I am telling him. Nothing you can say or do will change my mind. Now, go straight back to your room. I have to sort out your punishment." Lacy stood up and left, but didn't go to her room, she went back to the lake. It was diner time, but she wasn't hungry. She stayed out and sat on a big rock alone, and away from everyone. She folded her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. She buried her head in them and cried for the first time in years. She hated crying, it made you weak, but she was so full of anger and no way to express it. The tears weren't sad ones, they were full of anger and resentment and pain and suffering and loathing and hatred of herself and her father of her life and what she had not done to stop it from going to hell. She lifted her head and wiped away her tears on her sleeve. Someone taped her on her shoulder and made her jump and fall off the rock and into the icy cold water.

Lacy's lungs were filled with water instantly, and the lake was deep here and she was already weighted down with her robes before she could swim. She was filled with water and couldn't breathe. She saw red spots behind her eyes and a big hand trying to get her. She wiggled out and tried to flee, but she had no oxygen and felt the arms encircle her before she passed out.

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Author's Note: Sorry I had to name it Rage against the Machine, I love the band. The Machine referring to her father and all his strict rules and how to act. I'm trying to lengthen my writing, so tell me if you like it. Burn. -Ash-


	9. Drowning

Chapter 9: Drowning

Draco saw her sitting on the rock all alone with her head in between her legs. He'd been looking for her for awhile. Her heard her crying, but he didn't know whether to announce himself or wait for her to stop. But, she suddenly lifted her head and wiped away her tears. Draco tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped a few feet, and fell off the rock into the water below. Draco shed himself of cloak as he clambered up the rock. He peered over the edge, and jumped in after her. At first touch the water was freezing cold, and he couldn't see though it, but he thought he saw someone struggling through the water. He reacher for Lacy, but she fought him and landed a few well placed kicks and knocked the wind out of him. He kicked up and broke the surface of the water, took a few gulps of fresh air, and went back under. She was falling and landed on the bottom of the lake. Draco reached his hands for her, and she didn't struggle. He used both hands to pull her up, she was heavier than he anticipated, it must have been the heavy cloak she was wearing. He dragged her up to the surface, and held her head above to let her drink in the air, but she wasn't breathing. Draco ripped off the heavy cloak and let it wall back into the murky waters. He picked her up and set her on the rock, he jumped up after her. He gazed at her limp form, not knowing what to do. He opened her mouth and breathed in and then pumped her chest, nothing happened, so he repeated the action. After the third try she spurted water from her lungs and rolled over and threw up water. She breathed heavily and Draco sat back and let out his own heavy sighs. Lacy turned over to face Draco, she looked shocked.

"It was you? You scared me, and I almost drowned?" She looked angry, but her voice was limp and scraggly. Her face relaxed and she laid back down, closing her eyes. Draco was speechless, he just sat there beside her motionless. He tasted her lips, and had his hands on her body where they shouldn't have been, only in his dreams had this happened to him.

"Why were you out here anyway?" Lacy broke the silence, she still had her eyes closed though. Draco hesitated before answering her.

"I was looking for you." He didn't think about what he was saying, he just said them. He was mesmerized by her chest and how she breathed. Lacy said something, but Draco didn't hear her. She opened her eyes, looking at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked. He hadn't realized she'd said something.

"I asked you why you were looking for me." Draco looked into her eyes and was dumbfounded.

"Uhh..I wanted to ask you why you punched Pansy. She doesn't like you much now." Draco half teased, but Lacy looked angry again.

"I punched her because she deserved to be. I was angry, and I took my anger out on her. I shouldn't have, but I did. Eh, I don't care."

"Why were you angry?"

"My father." She said it like it explained everything. Draco waited for her to go on, and when she didn't he asked,

"Your father? Okay. You know you have detention now, don't you?" The color on Lacy's face drained away.

"Hey, it's okay, I mean detention isn't all that bad. I once had to go into the forbidden forest, and that was in my first year. It shouldn't be all that bad." But, Lacy shook her head.

"No, I don't care about detention." Draco mouthed and "Oh."

"He's telling my father." Draco still didn't understand.

"So, he'll send you a howler. End of that." Again, Lacy shook her head.

"No, he'd never send me a howler, they'd bring disgrace to the family name. Not that many people know what my name means, but that's beside the point. If he hears that I let my emotions lead me...ooh..I don't want to think about it. You don't know what I'm talking about." Lacy looked down.

"Yes, I know what you're talking about, maybe not so severe, but I know what it's like. My father is the same way." Draco looked at her curiously.

"Then they'd get along perfectly." Lacy teased, but Draco suddenly looked uncomfortable and changed the subject.

"Well, lets get you into some dry clothes it's getting cold out. Here, you can have my cloak, it'll keep you warm." Lacy accepted his cloak and turned her back on him, so he could put it on her. He slid her arm into one sleeve, and then the other, and let it drop on her shoulders. It was a little big for her, and the sleeves covered her hands. She smiled, and pretended to conduct a concert with the sleeves. Draco laughed and they walked up to the castle. As they entered people looked at them strangely, but they ignored them and went on with their conversation. To anyone watching them, they seemed like a good couple; laughing and talking together, completely unaware of everyone else, even she was wearing his cloak.

Lacy and Draco walked back down to the common room together, and when they walked inside, Professor Snape was waiting for them.

"I've been waiting for you. Didn't I specifically tell you to go back to your common room? And you disobeyed my orders, this will have to prolong your detention. I think you will have to clean the common room for a week, and do her patrolling duties as Prefect. But, you will not be treated as a Prefect, you will only patrol. And if she gets into any trouble, Malfoy, see to it that she is punished accordingly. W-why are you both soaking wet?" He was distracted by their state of dress, something Draco had never seen.

"She fell into the lake, and I pulled her out." Draco stammered out.

"You...fell into the lake?" He looked at Lacy with disbelief.

"Yes, sir." She said, hesitantly.

"And you..rescued her, did you Malfoy? I should just have to tell your parents about this, I am sure they would want to know. I'll just include this in your owl to your father, Miss. Kilnern. You have your first patrol tonight, go with her Malfoy, make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. I will see you tomorrow, in class. Goodnight." Snape stood up and left the room without another word, and leaving both Lacy and Draco speechless. The door slammed shut, and made Draco relax and slump into a chair, but Lacy stood rigid in the same spot.

"What's wrong? Loosen up a bit, that has to be the easiest detention he has ever given anyone. He's given me worse, and I'm his favorite student. I think he's found a new favorite student. Oh well, I won't feel too upset about it. Hey...are you alright?" Draco suddenly seemed aware that Lacy wasn't moving, she was barely breathing.

"Didn't you hear him? He's telling my father, that you "saved" me from drowning. This is not good, not good at all." Lacy started pacing and wringing her hands.

"It'll be fine, he'll be happy that you're alive, you could have died." Draco did not understand anything about her father.

"No, he won't! He would have wanted me to drown, he'll say that it was my fault for sitting on that rock and falling off, and I should have died. He won't care that I could have died, he'll only care that I am now indebted to you. And since you saved my life, I am indebted to you for my entire life. Nothing can break that, nothing. Don't you see? He'd rather me dead, than owe someone something." Lacy looked into Draco's eyes with anger and hostility, but she couldn't be angry at him, because he saved her life. She was angry at her father. She turned away and placed her hands on the mantlepiece, staring down at the fire.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that saving your life was such a big deal. I promise that I won't do it again. I'll just let you die." Draco was angry at her now, and he didn't even know why.

Part 2: Patrolling

"Draco..no." Lacy turned back around to face him, but he walked away. Lacy sighed and walked to her room. The two other girls were supposedly asleep in their beds. Lacy sat down on her bed, and rubbed her eyes. There was a knock on the door, and Lacy crossed the room and answered it.

"Here. It's for you." A girl with dark blonde hair said, holding out a piece of parchment. Lacy took the paper, and read it.

_ Be ready at ten for our rounds_.

_-Malfoy_

Lacy looked up, but the girl was already gone. It was almost ten, so Lacy changed her clothes and took off Draco's cloak, setting it on her bed gently. She only had a pair of jeans clean, so she put them on, even though they weren't part of the dress code. She put on one of her own cloaks over a white uniform shirt, and walked into the common room. Draco was down there already. She'd picked up on the fact that in his note he'd signed it 'Malfoy' instead of 'Draco.' She wasn't sure whether to call him Draco or Malfoy, so she didn't say anything; neither did he. They walked the grounds for awhile without talking.

"I didn't mean to sound angry at you. I wasn't' I'm not, at least not at you. I'm sorry." Lacy said as she walked behind Draco. He didn't reply.

"Fine, don't say anything. You're living up to your name really well,_ Draco_." She walked past him quickly, but he reached out and stopped her.

"What does that mean? _Living up to my name?_" He didn't understand half the things she said. Lacy shook her hand and plucked his hand off of her arm, and continued down the hallway. Draco stood rooted in the spot, but quickly recovered by running up to catch her, and pinning her to the wall.

"You have something to say, say it. I really would like to hear it." Draco had two arms braced to both sides of her.

"Go away." She pushed his arms away, but they wouldn't budge. She tried ducking down beneath one of his arms, but he caught her around the waist, and pushed her back against the wall. Lacy sighed.

"Your name; Draco, dragon..you know." Draco wore a look that said that he knew this already.

"A warrior named Cadmus went in search of his lost sister, and asked the prophetess at Delphi what to do. She told him to follow a cow and to build a city where ever it laid down. Cadmus and his men followed the cow, it laid down, Cadmus sent his men to get water, and when they didn't return he went into the forest in search of them. He found them torn and bloodied, and a dragon hovering over them. Cadmus threw a javelin at the creature, and it slid in between it's scales, it didn't kill him though. He jabbed his spear into the gut of the beast and slew it, only after it had backed him into a corner. A mysterious voice called out to Cadmus and told him to sow the teeth of the dragon and it would reap wonders. He sew the teeth into the ground, and out of the ground where the teeth were, came a crop of full-grown warriors. They fought amongst themselves, and only five were left. They buried the companions of Cadmus, and threw the mutilated body of the dragon into the air. Today it is known at the constellation Draco, coiled forever around the North Star. The stars Etanin and Alwaid are the watchful creature's eyes; they never set." As Lacy finished her story, Draco let his arms fall to his sides.

"I never knew that. But what does that have to do with me? How do I live up to my name?" Lacy looked at him with no apparent emotion.

"You strike when it's unexpected, you back your way into other people to make them vulnerable, and when you lose you bring them down with you." Lacy looked up at him, but Draco seemed to be in his own mind.

Suddenly a large crash sounded from somewhere behind them. Lacy grabbed Draco's arm without realizing it, he noticed though, and peered around him.

"What? What happened?" He asked, coming out of his mind. Lacy shook her head, and pulled around Draco, but her held her back.

"It could be dangerous. Let me do it." Draco pushed Lacy behind him, but this time she held him back.

"If it's dangerous, you could get hurt too. We both go, we're both on patrol. You can lead the way though." She smiled up at him, and he chuckled, leading the way. Lacy followed Draco, and they back-tracked their steps, but they didn't see or hear anyone. Lacy looked around wearily, and strained her ears trying to search out the reason behind the clattering sound, but she couldn't see anything.

"Draco?" she mumbled. She pulled on the back of his robes to get his attention, but he shushed with his hand. He motioned for her to stay where she was, and he walked forward and peered around the dimly lit hallway. No one was there, so Draco motioned for Lacy to join him, but she turned around violently and looked every which way.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Draco asked as he hurried to Lacy's side. Lacy shrugged her shoulders and grabbed Draco by the arm and pushed herself behind him. She made a whimpering sound, and Draco smiled laughingly.

"You don't have to be so scared. Calm down, what happened?" He turned around in her hands so he could face her. She had a sad puppy dog look on her face, which made him smile even more. He clasped her face in his hands, and said,

"Don't worry, you're here with me. Nothing's going to happen to you." Lacy placed her hands over his and smiled, but she still looked worried. She looked down, but Draco brought her face back up again. He smiled at her, and stroked the side of her face. He leaned in about to kiss her, when suddenly—

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Author's Note: I added a part 2 instead of another chapter, because in the second part they are still drowning, as a metaphor. I published the first part as it's own chapter, but I decided to ut the two together. It's getting kinda lovey-dovey, so if you don't like that stop reading. Boo-yah! Keep Burning.-Ash-


	10. Advances

Chapter 10: Advances

Last time : "Don't worry, you're here with me. Nothing's going to happen to you." Lacy placed her hands over his and smiled, but she still looked worried. She looked down, but Draco brought her face back up again. He smiled at her, and stroked the side of her face. He leaned in about to kiss her, when suddenly—

---when suddenly a bright red frisbee flew right into Draco's face, it rebounded off it and fell to the ground with a thud. Lacy smiled and started laughing and raised her hands to her mouth to smother the sound. Her eyes were filled with laughter. Draco picked up the frisbee and twirled it around in his hands.

"Peeves must've thrown this. Who else could've? No one else is around. This is crazy. Come on." He didn't seem to be in a very good mood. Lacy couldn't imagine why, this was hysterical to her, but then again she hadn't gotten knocked upside the head with a frisbee recently. She followed Draco reluctantly and shuffled her steps and huffed along after him. He had been about to kiss her, she knew it. The danged old frisbee had gotten in the way. But what would've happened if they really had kissed? Would it be everything she wanted and dreamed of or would it just be a complete catastrophe? She conceded that it wouldn't have been good. It would just stir up some unwanted emotions and problems that she wouldn't able to cope with. All in a matter of months things were not going to plan.

The plan had been to send her away to Hogwarts for a semester or two, making no friends and being dispassionate and forgettable. She wouldn't say a word to anyone unless asked by a teacher, and she would do whatever possible to be a recluse. Of course her father hadn't planned for a sixteen year old Draco and his sixteen year old daughters's feelings, that she wasn't supposed to have, come forward. Nothing was going the way it was supposed to, and Lacy was quite glad of that, because if they were, then she wouldn't be here with Draco at night in the dark feeling blissful and emotional.

Draco walked quickly and with purpose, soon leaving her behind in his wake. Lacy looked around to see where he'd gone, but all she saw was black. She called out into the darkness-

"Draco? Hey, Draco? Where'd you go? This isn't funny, not funny at all. Come out, please just come out and stop trying to scare me. Okay, ha ha. Funny joke, I get it. Now come back before I get really angry." Draco didn't appear, she didn't hear a sound. She walked around in circles, trying to stay put, but afraid of staying in one place too long. She didn't know where she was or where she was supposed to be going, or even where she came from. She was lost and alone and scared for the first time in her life.

"Lacy, don't go wandering off like that. You really scared me. I looked everywhere for you." came the cold, drawling voice of Draco. The break of silence made Lacy jump.

"Where did I go? I went looking for you! Don't try to blame me. You disappeared on me and scared me to death. I couldn't find you anywhere. Didn't you hear me?" Lacy looked around, and Draco was no where to be seen again. What was going on? One minute she heard his voice, the next he was no where to be found. Lacy was completely lost and knew of no way to get out of the mess she was in.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flickering light swaying. She turned toward it and it was still there, she was almost positive that the light hadn't been there a few minutes ago. She crept uneasily toward the light. It was a torch that was next to an ajar door. Lacy didn't know what she was doing, it was like she was under a spell, but she grabbed the torch without thought and opened the door. She slipped inside without a sound and shut the door behind her. Inside it was a hallway that she'd never seen before. There weren't any portraits on the walls so unlike the rest of the castle. She walked the hollowed hall until it lead her to another door. She grasped the knob and she heard his voice again.

"Lacy! Come on, where are you? Hopefully you didn't go this way..." His voice momentarily shocked her out of her dazed spell, but her hand was still on the door knob and she looked at it and was entranced once again. She had to know where it went. She had to know where it led. She had to go through the door.

Her hand turned the knob and pushed her way inside. She saw the room unfolding before her and was amazed at the sight in front of her eyes. She gasped, she didn't think she'd seen anything so beautiful. She stepped inside and the door shut behind her with a _snap._ It made Lacy jump, but only momentarily. She looked around the cavernous room and saw a desk to her side with an envelope on top that was addressed to her.

_An envelope with my name on it? How weird. It was if... this place... was expecting me. But how can that be?_

She took the small object and held it in her hands, afraid to open it. She turned it over in her hands. She saw the opening where she could slit it to get it open. Lacy pushed her nail up under the flap and tore it with a quick shove. It was open. She pushed the flap up and lifted out the parchment. She unfolded it and quickly scanned the words that were written there. She looked around and gasped at the sight of him.

"YOU!" She exclaimed.

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Author's Note: Hey, sorry I haven't been writing, I've been so busy with school and stupid boys. Hope you like my chapter and tell me what you think. Ciao- Ash


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